Journal lubricator



Oct. 17, 1961 L. E. HOYER ET AL 3,004,805

JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed DGO. l. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenlors Llewellyn fj'loger Edward R. Ciorcqca B3 Zi/alfaa. and @MMM AHornegs Oct. 17, 1961 E. HoYER ETAL 3,004,805

JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed Dec. 1. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZIA RA 21D uA F :l E5' 4A 25 s lL.

Inventors Llewellyn E'. Hoger Edward R. Ciorcgca.

United States 3,004,805 Patented Oct. 17, 1961 Free . 3,004,805 JOURNAL LUBRICATGR Llewellyn E. Hoyer, Wyckoff, and Edward R. Gorcyca,

Mahwah, NJ., assignors to American Brake Shoe Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 777,381

Claims. (Cl. 308-88) This invention relates to a lubricator for properly lubricating the journal of -a railroad car rotatably supported within a journal box.

Historically, journals of the foregoing kind have been lubricated by'oil-soaked waste packed in the bottom of the ljournal box below the journal, but it is now generally agreed that such is largely responsible for the creation of'many hazards especially in View of 'the increasing speeds of railroad traic.

The primary object of the present invention is to construct a lubricator for the journal of a railroad car which does not depend' upon ywaste packing and to have as few parts as possible subject to failure in the construction. Specically, it is an object of the present invention to construct a lubricator of this kind with a relatively large flexible base capable of conforming precisely to -the contour of the inner surface of the journal box in the lower part thereof and having a pair of U-shaped holding arms projecting from the side thereof that is opposite the journal, these arms being removably mounted on the base and serving to hold a lubricating wick against the journal. kIf for some reason one of the arms should fail, such can be easily replaced, and the particular arrangement to be disclosed is one that laccounts for the relay of copious amounts of oil to the journal. i

Another object of the present invention is to enable such a lubricator to` be retained in the journal box against shifting andtoassure that the wick willY only contact those par-ts of the journal which require lubrication.

"Other and further objects of the present invention will be'vapparent from' the following description and claims andY are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, bywayof illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what -is now considered to be'the best mode contemplated for applying these principles. yOther embodiments ofthe invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may bey made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from thepresentinventiongand the purview of the vappended claims; l "fIn-the drawings: j

"`FIG. 1 isa-top plan View of the base of the present lubricator; V v FIGL 2 isl anV elevation of the'base, partly in section;

FIG. 3 is a broken plan View 'of one of the lubricator arms;

QI-TIG. 4`is a view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGB; i

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C show different modifications for realizing the separable connection between the lubricator arm and the base; 4 FIG. Sis a partial transverse sectional view of a standard` journal box showing the way in which the present lubricator is to be mounted therein; and FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing ,the installed state of the present lubricator.

- The lubricator of the present invention illustrated includes a flexible base 11, FIG'.` 1, of resilient material such as hard rubber, plastic,` molded fabric, foam or the'like-capable of -being easily flexed to conform to the shape of the interior of the journal box J B of a railroad of which the base is composed yas well as that of the arms to be described hereinafter should be of relatively durable and oil-resistant material. The base 11 is relatively thin in nature, and when positioned within the journal box has the lower face thereof in `good frictional contact with the inside of the journal box. In respect of the transverse dimension of the journal box, FIG. 5, the base 11 has a width such that when mounted within the journal box the free ends E thereof will lie approximately below the waste retainer ledges WL that are conventionally provided in a standard railroad journal box. If these ribs are absent, the corresponding dimension of the base can be enlarged so 4as to lie close to the lower radius of the stop column, but it has been found that the extensive area of the base 11 establishes a ygreat deal of friction and hence there is little tendency for the base to shift under `actual operating conditions due to the motion of the journal. In any event, the waste retainer ledges or the stop columns where present account for stops that limit transverse shift of the base 11.

Further with regard to the dimensions of the base 11, and referring in particular to FIGS. 1 and 6, the base 11 has a predetermined front to rear dimension LD, and this dimension is approximately the dimension of the journal box between the front one of the two walls at the back of the box which afford the dust guard slot DS and the beginning of the upwardly directed contour at the front of the journal box, FIG. 6, where the closure -lid (not shown) is ordinarily hingedly mounted. By so dimensioning the length of the base 11, -assurance is had that there will be no significant shifting of the base 11 parallel to the axis of the journal I, and hence the arms and the wicking cover to be described hereinafter are yaccurately and permanently, so to speak, oriented relative to lthe car journal.

In order to assure proper seating and orienting of the base 11, the front and rear extreme edges of the base are notched or interrupted at 11-N in a symmetrical fashion. This Aaccounts for a plurality of spaced rear surfaces RS land a plurality of front surfaces FS which afford plural discontinuous lines of contact respectively at the rear of the base where it contacts the dust guard wall referred to above and at the front bottom of the journal box where the front wall is directed upwardly as mentioned above. It will thus be seen that the base in the present instance is so constructed as to assure a substantially iixed state thereof within the journal box as well as a non-canting orientation fully conformed to the shape of the bottom inside surface of the journal box as well as part way =up the vertical sides thereof as best shown in FIG. 5. Additionally, spring means `are provided which assurerconformance of the 4base to the interior of car ilustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Of course the material l Y the journal box and this is attained by embedding a plurality of strips 15 of spring steel or the like in the base 11 during molding thereof. The base 11 as it comes from-the the mold is generally llat and rectangular as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, but incidental to installing the lubricator the base 11 is flexed as shown in FIG. 5.

Lubrication is accomplished in the present instance by a wick strip or cover 20 held firmly against the lower part of the journal by a pair of generally U-shaped arms 21 and 22 which are removably joined to the face or side of the base whichis disposed toward the journal. The arms 21 and 22 are preferably molded from the same material as that'of the base 11, and in the as-molded state these arms are generally flat and rectangular as shown in FIG. 3. To assure firm urging of the wick against the journal, each of the wick-holding elements 21 and 22 is associated with spring means or the like molded in an embedded state within the main body portion of the arms 21 and 22.. The spring inserts thus described are oriented in a symmetrical fashion to assure uniform 3 pressures throughout the base and `throughout the arms.

The front to rear dimension of the base was described above. The front to rear dimension of the arms 21 and 22 is shorter, and this dimension is` indicated at SD in FIGS. l, 3 and 6 and is ,substan tially thesame as the distanceV separating the collar C of the journal and the fillet surface FLS' ofthe journal whichis just forward of the dust guard seat DGSyof thev journal. The wick 2 0 also has the vdimension SD, and in this tway lubricant is relayed only to the essential part ofthe journal, namely, that whichV lies betweenethe collar andthefilletjsurface FLS, and this dimensioning also assures that the wick cover will beprevented from being grabbed by the journal during rotation.

.TheV llexible ULShaped farms, 21 and 22 can b e removably mounted on 'the' upper face ofY the base'in various dierent ways as will now' be explained, Thus, referf ring to FIGS. 1, 2 and ,5, the upper face ofthe base is provided vwith elongated dove-tail slots jwhichare' 'affordedby pairs of correspondingly spaced and vconfigured ribs 31 which project from the upper face of the base 11. The long edges ofthe arms 21- and 22 areV molded V so as to have a complemental' dovetail as 21D and 22D. The spacing between the slots 30 in a lateral or transverse direction as viewed in FIGS.` land 2 is substantially less than thewidth of, the` arms 21 and lf2.k so that it is necessary to ex the latter in the manner shown in FIG. 5 to bring about registry of thedove tailswith the related slots, Whereuponthe dove tails of the thus flexed arms are slipped into the receiving and retaining slots 30. ThisV is selectedas a relatively tight t so as to maintain the parts assembled by' friction.

lOther forms of connection are illustrated iii FIGS. 4A,'4B and 4C.' Thus, in FIG. 4A, the base 11A rep'- resenting the modified baseis provided with raised Iribs RA which are spaced Vto afford ,a rectangular slot therebetween. The end of the modified arm 21A is of uniform dimension to fit looselyin the slotv between the ribs RA, and a pin-type fastenerF is vextendedthrough andbetween thealigned areas of the ribs RA and the in terposedportion of theY yfree end of the cover supporting armiZlA to secure the vlatter removably to the base 11A.

. As illustratedk in FIG; 4B, the lubricator base 11B has a doveA tail slot extended all vthe way throu`gh, that is, this dove tail slot opens, at both the upp'er and lower faces of the base 11B.` This dovetail slot'has` a length which corresponds to that of theY ribs31, FIG. Al, and the dove ta'il end of the cover supporting arm 21B, FIG. 4B, is manipulated soa's toenable theflatter to`ft c0mplementally: in the doveY tail slotiin the base 11B."V

Referring to FIG. 4C, one fastening end of the modilied arm V21C is provided with a T-head'ZIT, which underlies the bottom of'thetrnodiiiedbase 11C. The intermediate` portion of the' arm; 21C extends" upwardly througha rectangular'slot in thebase'llC, andthe opposite fastening end 'of the ,arm' 21C can be yof the modified form shown in FIG. 14A. i,

In any event, after the" arms have been flexed and ref movably secured in`place,1the:cov`er` 20 `ispthen draped over the convex Upper Sides of thear'ms 21 and 22,'and the `cover` is secured in place by' removable "fasteners F, FIG. 5, ofany desired kind. Preferably, the lcover 20 is of one piece withthe'interrnediate or medial portion 20M thereof hanging Iloosely 'in the area above the base thatlies between th'eadj'acent'inner ends of the arms 21 and 22; By so hanging loosely, the medial portion of the wick'l or` cover will be submerged in'thegreatest depth of oil at the bottom of the journal box when the ,lubricator' is'located within' the latter. It will berecog'nized'ofcourse' that the' arms" 21: and-2Zar'e so di'-l mensioned with respect tothe "spacing between the base 11 of the lubriatorand'the lower half of` the journalf] as to be slightly bowed ina concave fashionfyvhen prop# erly Vpositioned as illustrated k in FIG. 5, and this cou# pled with the'returnVV tension of the spring inserts 25 presses 4 thewick rmly against the lower two quarters of the journal. x

It will be recognized that .the base 11 is fully symmetrical so Vfar as front and rear positions are concerned, and hence it is immaterial-which side is first located within the journal box. Ad'vatageously, symmetrically located openings 40 and 4I are provi'dedatme'dial areas of the front and rearYmarginsl oftlieI base 11.' yf 1jhese openings' are. adapted to receivea' hook.' tool' for extracting the lubricant froml or adjusting 4the, s'arr'ieA within the journal box, and if desired the openings 40 and 41 can be reinforced.

- vvIt wii1l beseen frorrnthe foregoingthat in acccorda'nce with the persent invention there is affordedla. jonrnali lubricator of relatively simple construction but one. -.which fulfills the essential role of. feedi ng.copious amounts.v of o il to thejournal form Vthe bottom ofl the journalbox The con'struction includes a flexible base of generous area having good frictionalcontact with the inside. of the .jour-A nal box tending to resist shifting.movementinthe.rst iaslanerbut the base is. dimensionedgto take .advantage Qf'ilie journal box. construction in` limitingrshifting move, nient as hasbeen explained. The. arms 21 andll are @f .llnique...Construction and areradapted, to firmly 110191v thevoill drenched wickagainst the journal. Inthe event that the wiek becomes, worn, thewick caneasily bere: Qladlwiihqut. any effect. @remaining parts of the. 1u-y bri'cator, and in the event that the arms become worn, these too can be easily,replaced.

Y`Hence, while We` have illustrated. and dascrihedrrf ferred embodimentsbf ourinvention it is to be u nder Stood thatthese areapable @f variation anglmodilicav lion. arldwe tliereforeldoot wish to belimitedto .the Precisedetails setiertlrabrrtdesire to avail ourselvesof suihA changes andalterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

A lubricatorlfor .aiiournal disposediorrotation. Wiihina journal .boxY and vs: Omprising,la..base rrrerrrber in the. formof. .a eenerallnat andirectangular sheet of flex-` ible resilient hard rubber material having spaced-apart ,un dsrcut Slots fortified.thereinV a pairpt separatellfshaped arerpiecearms composed ofsaid materialand each having ends ,formed coniplemerital .10. said slotsv and ...removably rrwrm'feiY therein, wicking, material; Secured, tonhe vcon- -vX Sidespf. Said. arms. Opposite. .thebase and including a portiorrdispqsedsloselv adiacentihe medial part QfSaid. basememberbetweensaid ar1 r 1 s, and spring means embeddedA in saidbase and saidarnjis. f I i 2;.; A lullrifaiwrv for., a :journal .disposed for rotation within aiouralbox and.c0mprising...a basegmember. in the ,form .0f `a generally flatrancl rectangular. ,Shaetfof flexf ible resilient material, a pair of U-shaped arms composed of said material, said base member havgingpacedrapart Counseling meaasforrrledthereiniarrd @achats 'siarms havingopposite ends removably fastened to said, onneetmamans in Saidbaseprine means, .embedded in vSaid for urgis. s id arms.r away. Lfrom said `fat Qf- .Said base, and wicking material having v'portions secured to the faces ofgsaid arms which. are. opposite Said face oisaid base including a portion disposed closely adjacent said base member, .beiwerrai arms.-

A lubricator. aaeordinaio lairrl-lwhell fhpae has a predetermined length and wherein' said arms are of shorter length.

l, 4.-. A journal lubriaa'for.A 0f illev kind1 desllbllfii-SPOSSQ Wilhia'the journal box Lof arailr'atlrbelwen f1.1? bot tornl `of the box andthe bottom of the journal and comprising a base of exibleLmaterial having alower kface 1n complemental contact with the bottom ofthe boli .and part way up 'the sides, said base being continuous between Ithe 'dust guard'slot and Ythe'upwardly. directed portionY of the journal box at the'frontandhaving symmetrically .alf ra'gd'notchesforined inf'the front and rearedg'es there- 9f"a'pair of' Uishaped armsbfresiliet material having ends separately attached to ythe upper face of the base and each being continuous from approximately the collar journal 4to the journal fillet surface just forward of the 6 5. A lubrcator as dened in claim 1 wherein said base member includes raised ribs deining said undercut slots.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,138,971 Keeler et al. Dec. 6, 1938 2,213,001 Gundel Aug. 27, 1940 2,936,198 Harkenrider May 10, 1960 

